Tokyo Waterworks Historical Museum

Foreign visitors are often impressed that "you can drink delicious water for free at restaurants in Tokyo," while most residents simply take it for granted as a public service.
However, the 400-year journey to achieving water quality standards that rank among the best in the world involved the untold efforts of countless people.
The Tokyo Waterworks Historical Museum, where visitors can explore this history, opened in 1995. Just before establishing the Edo Shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who ruled the region at the time, faced the challenge of securing a water supply for Edo, a city expected to flourish after the unification of Japan.
Inside the museum, models, historical materials, and videos illustrate how the Tokugawa shoguns after Ieyasu ordered their retainers to construct waterworks that brought fresh water from its source to Edo.
Particularly impressive are the surviving mokuhi (wooden water pipes) and an animated presentation of the waterworks construction, both of which vividly convey the harsh conditions under which the work was carried out.
At the same time, visitors are often surprised by the meticulous surveys conducted at the time, including angle calculations and surveying techniques.
As you trace the modernization of Tokyo's waterworks and the evolution of its technology, you may come to appreciate even a single glass of water in a new way. This museum vividly brings to mind the Chinese proverb: "When you drink water, do not forget the one who dug the well."